This invention relates generally to an arrangement for mounting a circuit board or the like to a frame, and more particularly to an arrangement using inexpensive, removable fasteners.
Circuit board racks in which the circuit boards are slidably mounted in channelled frame members are commonly used. U.S. Pat. No. 3,382,476 gives one example of such circuit board racks. These racks are convenient where parallel mounting of the circuit boards is desired, where the boards are rectangular, and where the number of boards and the application justify the expense.
Where non-parallel mounting of circuit boards is desired, however, or where circuit boards are not rectangular, common circuit board racks are not readily applicable. Moreover, some applications may not justify the expense of common circuit board racks.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,309 discloses an arrangement for assembling circuit boards in mutually parallel positions. This arrangement relies on a junction medium comprising clamps of rectangular cross-section and spring clips arranged to grasp elastically around the central part of the clamps. The spring clips and clamps are mounted in adjacent parallel circuit boards by snapping elastically springing stop media into holes in the circuit boards where they are elastically retained. The holes illustrated are circular, and no rotation is required to lock the spring clips or clamps into retaining engagement with the circuit boards. The spring clips and clamps are not easily removed from the circuit boards without tools (for example, pliers to pinch the elastically springing stop media). No means for mounting the circut board assembly to a supporting frame is disclosed. The arrangement is not readily adapted to the non-parallel mounting of circuit boards.
An object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive arrangement for mounting a circuit board or the like to a frame, readily adaptable to circumstances in which the circuit board is non-rectangular or where non-parallel mounting of circuit boards is desired.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a fastener for achieving the first object, said fastener being simple and inexpensive, and not requiring the use of tools for its insertion or removal.